Michael Porter, Harvard Business Professor, On Competitiveness Crisis: America Is Falling Behind (VIDEO)

Harvard Business School professor Michael Porter believes that America is failing to compete.

The prolific author and leader of Harvard's Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness spoke with the Huffington Post about the consequences of increased globalization in business and the role of business in helping America get back on track following the HuffPost-sponsored Opportunity: What Is Working jobs panel at the Democratic National Convention.

Porter explained that with more exposure to international competition, companies have to stay productive by looking elsewhere to find skills that are lacking in America's job pool. Companies need to work hard to stay competitive, and they can't wait for the government to help them accomplish that goal, he said.

"We're talking about what business can do for itself, without waiting for Washington, without waiting for the political process to magically sort itself out," Porter said. "I think businesses are tired of being seen as the problem. They want to be seen as the solution and there's a lot they can do."

The ability to remain competitive in a global economy is critical for Porter and his colleagues at Harvard, he said. "We believe at HBS that there is no issue more important than this issue. Because it will determine the opportunities and the social mobility available to Americans for many years to come."